秉持尊重学生和家长隐私的原则，以下所展示的信息，已经去掉敏感和涉及知识产权的信息。
以上问题，是我们和学生、家长沟通中，常常被问到的问题。本文通过一位美国大学教授(终身教授)的科研讲座信息，直接和间接回答以上大部分的问题。
概括及延伸美国大学教授观点如下：
教授讲座大纲
美国大学教授讲座文字（部分删减）
什么是科研？
科研意味着解决问题，世界上没有人能够解决这些问题。
基于此定义，我们可以清楚地了解什么不是科研。科研不是学习，即使您在科研时可能需要学习很多东西。如果您可以从教授或世界上任何人的书，新闻报道，论文中找到问题的解决方案，那不是科研。从定义上讲，任何可学的都不是科研。
人们为什么要进行科研？
他们希望更好地了解世界，解决新问题，改善现有解决方案等。
思考科研的一种方法是环顾四周。在过去100年甚至10年中创造了多少东西？到处都有例子，例如航天器，高速公路上的电子收费站，自动驾驶汽车等等。为了使这些成为可能，人们必须解决许多难题。换句话说，人们必须进行科研。
学生为什么要进行科研？
科研生需要进行科研，这是学位要求的一部分。人们为什么要进入科研生院？如果不需要获得学位的科研，为什么本科生要进行科研？许多课程都不需要进行科研。进行科研的最重要原因是学习如何解决问题，而没人知道解决方案。科研意味着创造新知识。学生的主要重点是学习，但科研不是学习。科研是发明新知识。大多数学生没有创造新知识的经验。为了在职业生涯中具有竞争力，拥有解决新问题的技能和方法至关重要。因此，学生想科研和发展这种技能。
做科研有什么好处？
做科研可以学习解决现实问题的方法。通常，科研问题是如此复杂，需要许多人共同努力。因此，从事科研项目的人员必须学习如何进行团队合作。在团队中工作时，科研人员必须改善书面和口头交流，以便其他团队成员能够理解。一个科研项目也为培养领导技能提供了巨大的机会。为了解决难题，科研人员通常需要整合来自许多不同学科和课程的知识。整合能力对一个人的职业非常有帮助。这种能力可以极大地改善就业前景或追求高级学位。即使您不想追求更高的学位，这种能力也会使您在同行中脱颖而出。
科研与上课的区别
当学生加入科研项目时，他们常常会因课堂学习和科研项目之间的巨大差异而感到困惑。实际上，科研与课堂学习有很大的不同，有时这两件事几乎是相反的。让我解释和比较课堂学习与科研之间的差异。
最重要的区别是目的。在课堂学习中，目标是获取知识。学生在“输入”模式下操作。他们想学习教科书和教授已经知道的东西。相反，科研人员以“输出”模式进行操作。他们想为问题创建解决方案，但没人知道解决方案。在课堂学习中，每学期之间有明确的界限。每学期末，将报告成绩并结束课程。新学期开始时，所有设置都会重置。学生参加新课程，结识新教授，阅读新教科书。科研没有这种界限。很难预测一个学期结束前能找到好的解决方案。因此，学期的区别对科研人员几乎没有意义。科研人员将继续努力直到找到解决方案。
在课堂学习中，通常教授和助教都知道答案。作业的目的是让学生证明他们已经掌握了知识。作业通常由教授或助教设计。当您进行科研时，不要指望别人知道解决方案。如果其他人知道解决方案，则您不是在做科研。因为没有人知道解决方案，所以没人知道如何评估您的解决方案。您需要设计用于评估解决方案的方法。您的解决方案有效吗？他们更好吗？当学生开始进行科研时，他们通常会惊讶地发现没有作业分配。
让我再次强调这一点。学生的重点是学习作为投入。科研重点是寻找解决方案作为输出。
根据我的经验，学生开始进行科研时最重要的区别是思维方式从学生思维转变为科研员思维。学生认为教科书或讲义中的所有内容都可用，因此无需做笔记。即使他们做笔记，目的也是为了自己。科研人员知道他们所做的工作在任何书籍中都没有，他们知道文档的重要性。而且，科研人员知道文档适用于其他科研人员以及他们自己。因此，文档必须清晰完整。
对于学生来说，一个常见的错误是他们想参加科研项目来学习。他们应该做的就是贡献自己的力量。请记住，学习意味着投入。贡献是指产出。
科研的步骤
当您加入科研项目时，您应该提出很多问题。学生在做家庭作业时很少问这些问题。
重要问题包括：
这些是科研人员应该问的重要问题。
如果您确实想进行科研，则必须拥有要解决的问题的所有权。一些学生认为他们正在提供帮助。别。科研项目需要解决问题的人，而不是帮助者。如果您想提供帮助，则不认为这是您的问题，并且认为随时可以退出。您必须了解，在团队中，每个人都负责项目的不同部分。其他人依靠您的进步。仅在您决心做出贡献时，您才应参与。当然，您应该与其他人讨论您的主题。但是，不要指望有人神奇地知道答案。
这是给新科研人员的一些建议。首先，您需要了解学生思维与科研人员思维之间的差异。正如我之前所解释的，在许多情况下它们几乎是彼此相反的。您需要专注于解决问题，还需要发展技能，以口头和书面解释您的解决方案。您需要知道如何评估您的解决方案。没有作业或期中考试。在解决问题之前，您应该留在同一项目中。如果您跳来跳去，您将一事无成。您不应期望任何人都知道答案。如果这是一个科研问题，那么没人知道答案，您必须自己解决问题。
常见问题
问题1：我的GPA不高。我应该考虑进行科研吗？
问题2：科研经验是否可以帮助我申请工作或上科研生院？
答：在许多情况下，学生会收到科研顾问的强烈推荐信。
问题3：如果我不想去读科研生，科研经验会有所帮助吗？
答：在很多情况下，学生会因为对科研项目的贡献而获得职位。
问题4：我了解教授不知道答案。我还能问教授问题吗？
答：当然可以。希望交流成为讨论。不要指望教授立即得到答案。即使教授没有立即获得答案，他们也有经验，他们对这一领域非常了解，可以为寻找解决方案提供指导。
问题5：最常见的失败原因是什么？
问题6：如何成为优秀的科研人员？
答：您必须长期考虑。如果您将在该项目中工作很多年，请做正确的事情。不要使用捷径。记录您的想法，设计和步骤。
问题7：教授为什么不知道所有答案？
答：恭喜！您正在做科研。如果找到答案，教授将继续下一个问题。因此，您的教授一直在寻找问题的答案。请记住，科研是要解决没有已知解决方案的问题。
问题8：为什么我的队友不知道答案？
答：您的思维对“课堂思维”过于深入。在教室里，每个人都做相同的作业。在现实世界中，每个人都会做一些不同的事情来组建团队。想象一下，一家餐厅只有厨师，没有服务员。这家餐厅不起作用。
现在，让我说些超出科研范围的话。有一天，您将毕业，并且您的科研能力将成为您职业中最好的资产之一。如果您想拥有一份有意义的职业，请找到需要科研的职业，而这需要解决新问题的解决方案。如果您的工作不需要新的解决方案，您很快就会发现工作很无聊，并且增长潜力有限。同样，当您雇用某人时，要找到一个可以进行科研的人，而不是可以从教科书中应用知识的人。没有经理会雇用一个人来学习。管理者希望人们解决问题并做出贡献。在您的职业生涯中，尝试建立团队，可以合作的团队，解决难题和重要问题的团队。
我相信您会发现这种体验充满挑战和收获。
谢谢收看。
英文原版
Thisisthefirstlectureinaseriesabouthowtodoresearch.Manystudentsaskmeaboutdoingresearch.Manystudentshavedoneresearchprojectswithme.Iwillusethisseriesoflecturessharingmyexperienceaboutdoingresearch.Eventhoughmanypeoplehaveheardabouttheterm“doingresearch”,someofthemhavewrongideasaboutwhatisresearch.Asaresult,theymayjoinresearchprojectsanddonotenjoytheexperience.Somestudentsthinkresearchisnotforthemandmissgreatopportunities.Iwanttosharemyopinionsandexperiencesothatyougetsomeideasaboutresearch.Pleaseunderstandthatdifferentpeoplemayinterpretresearchdifferently.WhatIdescribehereisonlymyopinionandisnotnecessarilysharedbyanyoneelse.
Thetargetaudienceisundergraduateorgraduatestudents.
Whatisresearch
Inmydefinition,researchmeanssolvingproblemsandnobodyintheworldhassolutionsfortheseproblems.
Basedonthisdefinition,wecanclearlyunderstandwhatisnotresearch.Researchisnotlearning,eventhoughyouprobablyneedtolearnmanythingswhiledoingresearch.Ifyoucanfindaproblem’ssolutioninabook,anewsreport,apaper,fromaprofessororanyoneintheworld,itisnotresearch.Anythingthatcanbelearned,bythedefinition,isnotresearch.
Somestudentssay“Iamdoingresearchbysearchingrelevantinformationonline.”Thisissearchingbutnotresearch.
WhydopeopledoresearchManyreasons.
Theywanttounderstandtheworldbetter,solvenewproblems,improveexistingsolutions,etc.
Onewaytothinkaboutresearchistolookaroundus.Howmanythingswerecreatedinthepast100years,orevenpast10yearsExamplesareeverywhere,suchasspacecraft,electronictollcollectoronhighways,autonomousvehicles,andsoon.Tomakeanyofthesepossible,peoplehavetosolvemanydifficultproblems.Inotherwords,peoplehavetodoresearch.
WhydostudentsdoresearchGraduatestudentsneedtodoresearchaspartoftherequirementsfortheirdegrees.WhydopeopleentergraduateschoolsWhydoundergraduatestudentsdoresearchifresearchisnotrequiredforobtainingtheirdegreesResearchisnotrequiredinmanycurricula.Themostimportantreasonofdoingresearchistolearnhowtosolveproblemsandnobodyknowsthesolutions.Researchmeanscreatingnewknowledge.Students’mainfocusislearningbutresearchisnotlearning.Researchistoinventnewknowledge.Moststudentsdonothavetheexperiencecreatingnewknowledge.Tobecompetitiveinone’scareer,itisessentialtohavetheskillsandmethodologiessolvingnewproblems.Thus,studentswanttodoresearchanddevelopsuchskills.
WhatarethebenefitsofdoingresearchDoingresearchcanlearnthemethodologiesforsolvingreal-worldproblems.Itiscommonthatresearchproblemsaresocomplexandneedmanypeopleworkingtogether.Hence,peopleworkingonresearchprojectsmustlearnhowtoworkinteams.Whenworkinginteams,researchersmustimprovetheircommunicationinbothwritingandspeakingsothatotherteammemberscanunderstand.Aresearchprojectalsoprovidesgreatopportunitiesdevelopingleadershipskills.Tosolvedifficultproblems,researchersoftenneedtointegrateknowledgefrommanydifferentsubjectsandcourses.Theabilityofintegrationisveryhelpfultoone’scareer.Thisabilitycangreatlyimprovetheprospectinemploymentorthepursuitofadvanceddegrees.Evenifyoudonotwanttopursueanadvanceddegree,suchabilitywillmakeyoustandoutinyourpeers.
Whenstudentsjoinresearchprojects,theyareoftenconfusedbythevastdifferencesbetweenclassroomlearningandresearchprojects.Infact,researchissodifferentfromclassroomlearningandsometimesthesetwothingsarealmosttheopposite.Letmeexplainandcomparethedifferencesbetweenclassroomlearningandresearch.
Themostimportantdifferenceisthepurpose.Inclassroomlearning,thegoalistoacquireknowledge.Studentsoperateinthe“input”mode.Theywanttolearnwhatisalreadyknownfromtextbooksandbyprofessors.Incontrast,researchersoperateinthe“output”mode.Theywanttocreatesolutionstoproblemsandnobodyknowsthesolutionsyet.Inclassroomlearning,thereareclearboundariesbetweensemesters.Attheendofeachsemester,gradesarereportedandthecoursesareover.Whenanewsemesterstarts,everythingresets.Studentstakenewcourses,meetnewprofessors,readnewtextbooks.Researchdoesnothavesuchboundaries.Itisextremelydifficulttopredictthatagoodsolutioncanbefoundbeforeasemesterends.Thus,thedistinctionofsemestersisprettymuchmeaninglesstoresearchers.Researcherscontinuetheireffortsuntilsolutionsarefound.
Inclassroomlearning,usuallyprofessorsandteachingassistantsknowtheanswers.Thepurposeofhomeworkassignmentsisforstudentstodemonstratethattheyhaveacquiredtheknowledge.Homeworkassignmentsareusuallydesignedbyprofessorsorteachingassistants.Whenyoudoresearch,donotexpectanyoneelsetoknowthesolutions.Ifsomeoneelseknowsthesolution,youarenotdoingresearch.Becausenobodyelseknowsthesolution,nobodyelseknowshowtoevaluateyoursolutions.Youneedtodesignmethodsforevaluatingyoursolutions.DoyoursolutionsworkAretheybetterWhenstudentsstartdoingresearch,theyareoftensurprisedthatthereisnohomeworkassignment.
Letmeemphasizethisagain.Students’focusislearningasinput.Researchfocusesonfindingsolutionsasoutputs.
Basedonmyexperience,themostimportantdifferencewhenstudentsstartdoingresearchisthechangeofmindsetfromstudentthinkingtoresearcherthinking.Studentsbelievethateverythingisavailableintextbookorhandouts,thustakingnoteswouldbeunnecessary.Evenwhentheytakenotes,thepurposeisforthemselves.Researchersknowthatwhattheydoisnotavailableinanybookandtheyknowtheimportanceofdocumentation.Moreover,researchersknowthatdocumentationisforotherresearchersaswellasthemselves.Asaresult,documentationmustbeclearandcomplete.
Acommonmistakeforstudentsisthattheywanttojoinresearchprojectstolearn.Whattheyshoulddoistocontribute.Rememberthatlearningmeansinput.Contributionmeansoutput.
Whenyoujoinaresearchproject,youshouldaskmanyquestions.Studentsrarelyaskthesequestionswhentheydohomeworkassignments.Importantquestionsinclude
Whatistherealproblem
WhyisthisproblemimportantWhocaresabouttheproblemsandthesolutions
WhathasbeendoneIfyouaregoingtofindnewsolutions,youneedtoknowwhathasbeendonesothatyoursolutionscanbebetter.
Youneedtoclearlyexplainyoursolution.Sinceyoursolutionisnew,youneedtoexplainthedifferencesfromexistingsolutions.
IsyoursolutionbetterInwhatwaysByhowmuch
Thesearetheimportantquestionsresearchersshouldask.
Youcanthinkofresearchasweighttraining.Ittakesalotofefforts.Researchisnotsightseeing.Touristsjustseethingswithoutdoinganything.Somepeoplesay,“Youneedtogetyourhandsdirty.”Youcannotdoresearchifyouwanttobeatourist.
Beforeyoucancontributetoaresearchproject,youneedtospendtimeunderstandingtheproblem,learntherelevantknowledge,tools,andskills.Youneedtoknowwhathasbeendone.Inmostcases,youworkwithateamandyouneedtoknowwhattheydo.Youhavespentaconsiderableamountoftimebutyouhavenotactuallydoneanythingyet.Afteryouspendthetimedoingthepreparationwork,youcanstartthinkingaboutthespecificproblemyouwanttosolve.Then,youneedtosurveyexistingsolutionsasreferences,comparethemtounderstandthestrengthandlimitationineachsolution.Youdefinitelyneedtodocumentthisprocess.Again,youhavenotcontributeanythingyet.Afterallthiswork,youcannowstartdoingresearch.
Asyoucansee,doingresearchtakesalotofeffortbeforeyoucandoanything.Thus,youshouldconsiderresearchonlyifyoucanspendatleastseveralhundredhours.Ifyouwanttobeatourist,don’twasteyourtime.Infact,ifyouwanttobeatourist,youwasteotherpeople’stime.Theyhavetoexplaintheirprojectstoyou.Theyhelpyouunderstandthetopic.Ifyoudonotcontributetotheproject,youreallywastetheirtime.
Ifyoureallywanttodoresearch,youmusttakeownershipoftheproblemyouaresolving.Somestudentsthinktheyarehelping.Don’t.Researchprojectsneedproblemsolvers,nothelper.Ifyouwanttohelp,youdon’tthinkitisyourproblemandyouthinkitisacceptabletowithdrawatanytime.Youmustunderstandthatinateam,everyoneisresponsiblefordifferentpartsoftheproject.Otherpeoplerelyonyourprogress.Youshouldparticipateonlyifyouaredeterminedtocontribute.Ofcourse,youshoulddiscussyourtopicwithotherpeople.However,donotexpectanyonetomagicallyknowtheanswer.
IknowIhavebeencautious.Infact,itseemsthatIwanttodiscourageyoufromdoingresearch.Thetruthisthatsomestudentsdonotunderstandthemeaningofresearch.Theyjoinresearchgroupsbutrealizethatresearchisnotforthem.Ihopeyouunderstandwhatresearchissothatyoucanmakeainformeddecision.
Herearesomeadvicefornewresearchers.First,youneedtounderstandthedifferencesbetweenstudentthinkingandresearcherthinking.AsIexplainedearlier,theyarealmostoppositetoeachotherinmanycase.Youneedtofocusonsolvingproblemsandyouneedtodeveloptheskillsexplainingyoursolutionsinspeakingandwriting.Youneedtoknowhowtoevaluateyoursolutions.Thereisnohomeworkassignmentormidtermexams.Youshouldstayinthesameprojectuntilyousolveaproblem.Ifyoujumparound,youaccomplishnothing.Youshouldnotexpectanyonetoknowtheanswer.Ifitisaresearchproblem,nobodyknowstheanswerandyouhavetosolvetheproblembyyourself.
Herearesomefrequentlyaskedquestionsandmyanswers.Ihopetheycanhelpyoufurtherunderstandwhatresearchisabout.
Question:IdonothavehighGPA.ShouldIconsiderdoingresearch
Answer:DoyouwanttolearnhowtosolvedifficultandimportantproblemsManygreatresearchersdonothavehighGPA.IdonotfindverystrongcorrelationsbetweenGPAandtheabilitytodoresearch.Infact,somestudentshavehighGPAbuttheycannotdoresearch.Theywanttolearnthingsfromtextbooksandtheydonotwanttoexploreandfindnewsolutions.
Question:Wouldresearchexperiencehelpmeinapplyingforjobsorgoingtograduateschools
Answer:Therearemanycaseswherestudentsreceiveexceptionallystrongrecommendationlettersfromtheirresearchadvisers.
Question:IfIdonotwanttogotograduateschool,wouldresearchexperiencebehelpful
Answer:Therearemanycaseswherestudentsobtainpositionsbecauseoftheircontributionsinresearchprojects.
Question:Iunderstandprofessorsdonotknowtheanswers.CanIstillasktheprofessorsquestions
Answer:Yes,ofcourse.Expectthecommunicationtobediscussions.Donotexpecttheprofessorstohaveanswersrightaway.Eventhoughprofessorsdonothaveanswersrightaway,theyhaveexperienceandtheyknowtheareawellenoughtosuggestdirectionsforfindingsolutions.
Question:Whatarethemostcommonreasonsoffailure
Answer:First,youcannot"fail"inresearch.Youmayfailtofindagoodsolutionbutyouwillstilldeveloptheskillsinsolvingproblems..Themostcommonproblemisthatsomestudentsexpectresearchtobethesameasclassroomlearning.weeklyhomework,officehours,teachingassistants,textbooks,midtermexams...Studentstendtothink"everythingresetsanddisappearsafterthesemesterisover."Thisiswrong.Ifitisaresearchproject,itdoesnotendafterasemesterisover.
Question:Howtobecomegoodresearchers
Answer:Youmustthinkforlongterms.Dotherightthingsifyouwouldstayintheprojectformanyyears.Donottakeshortcuts.Documentyourthinking,design,andsteps.
Question:WhatshouldIdoifIdecidethisisnotforme
Answer:Telltheteamassoonaspossible.Donotwait.Yourteammembersdependonyou.Don’tsurprisethemlater.Honestyisveryimportant.
Question:ShouldIfocusonkeepingmyhighGPAWilldoingresearchreducemyGPA
Answer:YouneedtohaveareasonableGPA.However,doesitreallymatterifyourGPAisxorx+0.05Outstandingcontributionsandaexceptionallystrongletterwillbemorehelpful.
Question:Whyisn'tresearchrequiredifitisgoodforstudents
Answer:Researchisgoodforsomepeople,noteveryone.ThatisthereasonIammakingthisvideohelpingyouunderstandwhetherresearchisgoodforyou.
Question:Whydoesn'ttheprofessorknowallanswers
Answer:Congratulations!Youaredoingresearchnow.Iftheanswerisdiscovered,theprofessormovesontothenextquestion.Thus,yourprofessorisalwayslookingforanswerstoquestions.Rememberthatresearchistosolveproblemsthathavenoknownsolutions.
Question:Whydon'tmyteammatesknowtheanswers
Answer:Yourmindistoomuchdeepintothe"classroomthinking".Inaclassroom,everyonedoesthesameassignments.Intherealworld,eachpersondoessomethingdifferenttobuildateam.Imaginearestauranthasonlycooksandthereisnowaiterorwaitress.Thisrestaurantwouldnotwork.
Now,letmesayafewwordsbeyondresearch.Oneday,youwillgraduateandyourabilitytodoresearchwillbecomeoneofthebestassetsinyourcareer.Ifyouwanttohavearewardingcareer,findonethatrequiresresearch,onethatneedssolutionstonewproblems.Ifyourjobdoesnotneednewsolutions,youwillsoonfindthejobboringandyouhavelimitedgrowthpotential.Similarly,whenyouhiresomeone,findapersonthatcandoresearch,notapersonthatcanapplyknowledgefromtextbook.Nomanagerwillhireapersontolearn.Managerswantpeopletosolveproblemsandcontribute.Inyourcareer,trytobuildateam,ateamyoucanworkwith,ateamtosolvedifficultandimportantproblems.
Ifyouareinterestedinresearch,let’stalk.Iamconfidentthatyouwillfindthisexperiencechallengingandrewarding.
Thankyouforwatching.
选拔流程
1.提交报名表
2.科研组择优面试
3.面试通过后，发送录取确认书
4.开始科研
5.获得导师推荐信，科研证书，丰富的CV、PS履历
学生报名美国英国名校科研项目的当天，名校科研的后期申请老师会开始面试辅导，并会在未来7天内安排学生科研组导师的视频面试。